Mumbai’s iconic LGBTQ+ film festival, the KASHISH Pride Film Festival, will celebrate its sixteenth edition in June, flagging off Pride Month, from June 4 to June 8 2025. The festival will be kicked off at St. Andrews Auditorium in Bandra on June 4 and will then play at Cinepolis, Andheri West and Alliance Francaise, Marine Lines between June 5 to 8.
The festival will screen 152 films from 48 countries with films from Iceland, Peru, Serbia, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and Palestine. The festival known as South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ+ film festival will screen a rich haul of films from South Asia with films from India, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Indian films top the list with 37 films this year, followed by the USA with 34 films and the UK with 19 films.
In a year that has seen dramatic shifting or policies and perspectives towards LGBTQ+ communities across the world, the festival stands steadfast in ensuring not only the festival continues to be organized, but being diverse and inclusive with representation of the complete LGBTQ+ spectrum.
“KASHISH has always taken on challenges in its stride, and emerged stronger; and this year is no exception. With our move back to the suburbs and a line-up of amazing films that will appeal to the younger audiences in the suburbs, the festival hopes to infuse new energy and enthusiasm. We have a very strong line-up of films and we are confident that our audiences will love it”, said Sridhar Rangayan, founder festival director, “Sixteen years ago, we laid the first bricks of Indian queer cinema. Today, we’re witnessing an entire movement rising — brave, brilliant, and uncompromising.”
The festival’s theme “Love=Peace” sounds almost prophetic in the current situation and the festival continues to spread love and peace with both LGBTQ+ audiences and allies across Mumbai. Saagar Gupta, the artistic director said, “As is said, Peace isn’t just the absence of conflict — it’s the presence of love. Love for who we are, for each other, for the spaces we belong to, and for every identity that makes us whole.”
Among the stellar line-up of films, few of the key films are “Queer”, directed by the amazing Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name) featuring Daniel Craig; “Close To You”, directed by Dominic Savage, featuring Elliot Page as lead actor and producer; the Dutch film “Out” by Dennis Alink and “Odd Fish” by Snævar Sölvason set in a beautiful Icelandic township.
Onir’s multiple award winning film “We Are Faheem & Karun” is the Indian Narrative Centrepiece film, while the Romanian film “Three Kilometers To The End Of The World” by Emanuel Parvu is the International Narrative Centrepiece film.
The festival pays special tribute to the festival’s patron Shyam Benegal by showcasing one of his iconic films “Mandi” (1983) starring a host of celebrated actors like Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Neena Gupta, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Soni Razdan, Amrish Puri, etc.
With its dynamic and fiercely inclusive line-up of LGBTQ+ stories from around the world, the festival is a must-attend for every cinema lover. Registrations are open to attend the festival with special discounts for students, senior citizens and Transgender persons.
The film program and other details can be found athttps://mumbaiqueerfest.com